The Jackson State University football team continued preparations for the 2022 season opener with a Saturday morning scrimmage at the Walter Payton Center.
Big plays on offense and special teams highlighted today’s scrimmage as the defending Southwestern Athletic Conference champions reached the official end of camp.
“I love where we are in the kicking game,” said Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders. “The kickers, the punters, the long snappers – they’re doing a phenomenal job. That’s often times where we fall short at HBCUs…I think we’ve upgraded the personnel in every aspect of it, even on the coverage teams. They are doing a phenomenal job. Hats off to (special teams) Coach (Alan) Ricard for assembling a unit that is relentless and tough and disciplined and fast.”
The backup quarterback position continues to be a hotly contested battle, with several players vying for the role behind starting quarterback and SWAC Preseason Player Of The Year Shedeur Sanders.
Listed as quarterbacks on the most recently published roster on the team’s website aside from Sanders is Ohio State transfer J.P. Andrade, redshirt sophomore Greyson Thompson, redshirt junior Norman Douglas Jr. and Temple transfer Matthew Ricciardi-Vitale.
“It’s a heck of a fight to see who’s the two,” Coach Sanders said. “It’s going to continue for another couple of weeks. We have to find a quality backup quarterback. We have them on campus. We have them here. We just have to see who’s going to take that leap and that step and separate themselves from amongst the others.”
Courtesy: Jackson State Athletics
